His Only Choice
by WayWardWonderer
Summary: Tired of having the Hulk in his life Bruce Banner convinces Tony Stark to help him find a cure once and for all. The cost of the cure may prove too much for Bruce's body to bear. Choosing between life and death, normal and Hulk, is beginning to wear Banner's psyche down to nothingness. *(post Winter Soldier pre Age of Ultron)


It was late, only two people were still awake in the depths of 'Avenger Tower' in the heart of New York City. A single light shone out across the city like a lone star in the perpetually black sky. Inside the secluded, secured lab two of the Avengers were working together on a secret project.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Banner?" Tony Stark asked as he checked over the projected statistics on J.A.R.V.I.S.'s display screen.

"Yes. I am." Bruce Banner, though nervous was desperate for success. He removed is dress shirt and laid down on the medical exam table in his private lab. "I have no other choice."

"Sure you do." Tony remarked as he rolled a cardiac monitor and small metal table toward the exam table. "You and the 'Other Guy' could learn to live together via Felix and Oscar style."

"Tony, I can't _live_ like this anymore." He took the leads from the cardiac monitor and attached the leads to his chest. "I can't get close to anyone without risking their lives. I can't _let_ anyone get close to me because some government bounty hunter might be closing in. Hell, I can't even _trust myself_ to handle the simplest of tasks without chancing the 'Other Guy' crashing the party."

"This may come off as hypocritical since I'm the one saying it, but... don't you think this 'all or nothing' cure is a little short sighted if not all out crazy?"

"Maybe." Bruce admitted as he turned on the cardiac monitor. "But like I said, I have no choice. For _me_ it _is_ all or nothing."

"Okay." Tony still didn't approve but he wasn't going to try to change Bruce's mind, he already made his decision. "J.A.R.V.I.S. give me a display of Banner's vitals."

 _'Will do, sir._ ' The A.I. promptly put a highly detailed read out on all of Bruce's vital signs.

Tony glanced at the screen. "Everything looks normal. Then again, I'm not a doctor. I haven't even played one on TV."

Bruce looked at the screen too. "Yeah, it's all normal." He proceeded to insert an I.V. into his left arm and adjusted the drip on the saline. "Okay, this should work."

Tony picked up the vial and a syringe. "You know, all of J.A.R.V.I.S.'s readings on this supposed miracle cure have been inconclusive? And J.A.R.V.I.S. has _always_ been conclusive."

"I know the risks. If you don't want to be here..."

"No. That's not it. I just don't want to be here if you die. You're one of the very few people that I actually like."

Bruce laughed a little. "Is that supposed to be an honor?"

"Well, considering all the enemies I've made and will surely continue to make... I have no idea."

"I'll take that as a yes." Bruce laid flat on the table and took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

Tony reluctantly inserted the syringe into the unlabeled vial and gauged the (hypothetical) proper dose. After sterilizing the I.V. line with a small alcohol swab Tony inserted the needle of the syringe and injected the enigmatic elixir into Bruce's blood stream.

"J.A.R.V.I.S., talk to me."

 _'All vitals appear normal. The injection has successfully entered the circulatory system and the medication is beginning to bind with the red blood cells._ '

"Keep me posted." He patted Bruce's shoulder. "Feel anything?"

"Not really, but I do feel a little tired."

"Tired as in sleepy or tired as in sick?"

"Uh, both?" Bruce didn't understand the question. His eyes slowly closed and his breathing became deeper.

"Banner?" Tony patted Bruce's face. "Bruce? Bruce, can you hear me?"

Bruce tried to open his eyes but he didn't have the strength.

"J.A.R.V.I.S., what's going on?"

 _'His blood pressure has dropped substantially and his heart rate has declined_.'

"What's the cause?"

' _Unknown_.'

"Terrific." Tony was staring at the display when the monitor sent off alarms and he heard Bruce's body suddenly go rigid and knocked over the nearby table. "Bruce!"

Tony was at Bruce's side and trying to hold the seizing man down on the bed by his shoulders. "J.A.R.V.I.S.?!"

 _'He's having a seizure_.'

"I know that! How do I stop it?"

 _'There's a vial containing-'_ The display monitor let out an all too distinct and frightening sound of a stopped heart: flat line. _'He is in cardiac arrest_.'

"Shit!" Tony placed his fingers against Bruce's neck to double check what the display and cardiac monitor had already told him. "He's not breathing!" Tony began compressing Bruce's chest in attempt to get the downed scientist's heart beating again. "C'mon! Don't do this, BREATHE."

 _'Sir, someone is approaching the lab_.'

"Don't care! Busy!" Tony commented aggressively as he continued CPR. "Lock the door!"

 _'My security protocols have been overwritten_.'

The door to the lab opened and in walked Agent Natasha Romanoff. "Stark? What the hell's going on?"

"Agent Romanoff! Perfect timing." Tony looked over his shoulder as he continued compressing Bruce's chest. "We need the kiss of life and your lips are poutier than mine!"

Natasha made her way over to the exam table and looked at Bruce. "What were you guys doing?" She pinched Bruce's nose and delivered two breaths.

"Making a cake!" Tony lied dryly. "The oven confused us."

Natasha pressed her fingers against Bruce's neck. "Still nothing." She looked around the room and spied the knocked over metal table and the assorted vials laying on the floor next to it. "Hold on."

"Where are you going?" Tony didn't want to be alone and he was getting tired. "I'm losing strength here!"

"Just a second." Natasha quickly checked over the vial labels and selected one. "Got it." Loading a new syringe Natasha stood over Bruce and gave Tony a stern look. "Move your hands."

"I am!"

"OFF of him."

"Whatever you're going to do, make it count!" Tony pulled his hands off is dying friend's chest.

Natasha plunged the syringe into Bruce's chest, into his still heart. She injected the medication and watched the cardiac monitor carefully. A small 'beep' told the two shaken impromptu medics that Bruce's heart was finally beating again. Her fingers returned to his neck. "He's back."

Tony let out a sigh of relief. "What'd you do?"

"You're not the only one who knows their way around a kitchen."

J.A.R.V.I.S. interrupted. _'Dr. Banner's vital signs are returning to normal. The injection has already begun its metabolic breakdown_.'

Natasha crossed her arms and looked at Tony. "What injection?"

"Cake batter..." Tony lied again, but far more pathetically. "Maybe I should leave you two alone so Bruce can explain. You know, once he wakes up..."

 _ **-The End**_


End file.
